


Tell me your story, Mr. Graham

by infandomswetrust



Series: Redemption [2]
Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Hurt, M/M, Memories, Nostalgia, Season 2 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-13
Updated: 2014-06-13
Packaged: 2018-02-04 12:29:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1779163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infandomswetrust/pseuds/infandomswetrust
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Talking about it isn't easy. But then again, what was ever easy in Will's life?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Tell me your story, Mr. Graham

He didn’t want this, but it was a sacrifice he had to make. A promise he had made in desperation. Months had gone by, desperation was a foreign feeling now. Every feeling was foreign. There was nothing but emptiness.

“Tell me your story Mr. Graham. Where do you think it starts?”

If he would have killed her. How would things have turned out? What would have happened if he would have actually killed her? Where would he be now? Would he be with him? Back in BSHCI? Dead? Every possibility seemed better than this. Better than being alone after catching a glimpse of what a true bond meant.

His thoughts wandered to the day Jack came into his classroom. Was this where his story had started? Was it when he found Winston? When he first saw Dr. Lecter? When he first saw the stag? Or when he shot Garrett Jacob Hobbs? Where did his story start?

“It’s not important where it starts.”

She quirked one eyebrow.

“Where does it end then?”

“It didn’t end yet.”

She looked at him and he knew, he _knew_ she wanted to ask. He could see the question, he could hear it in his head, hear the name, but they had a deal. Keep Abigail out of this. So instead she asked:

“Hannibal Lecter framed you for murder and almost killed you. You were right all this time, Mr. Graham. You survived. How does it feel to have beaten your arch nemesis?”

Beaten him? In what way had he beaten him?

“It’s not that easy, Freddie. Dr. Lecter isn’t my ‘arch nemesis.’”

“Then what is he?”

Will thought for a moment.

“He is a force that pulls me apart, even now. But he was also the only force ever able to hold me together.”

“How would you describe your relationship with Dr. Lecter?”

“I believe I just did.”

“I was talking about your… unusual friendship. That’s all it was, wasn’t it? Friendship?”

Will narrowed his eyes and cocked his head slightly. He searched and found her eyes. Eye contact was nothing to shy away from anymore. _You see too much, you don’t see enough_. Not anymore. Will could see everything. Hannibal had cleared his vision.

“You go straight from calling him my arch nemesis to implying a physical relationship? Quite the jumps you’re making, Freddie.”

The woman sighed and turned off the recording device on the table.

“Will, you agreed to doing this,” she reminded him reproachful.

“I agreed to give you my story, not to answer indiscreet questions.”

His voice was calm but he knew there was a dark flash in his eyes and she saw it too. Her eyes widened for a moment, apparently she hadn’t realized her question had actually been reasonable. Hadn’t expected Will to be stupid enough to get _this_ involved.

“What if the answers to those questions are part of your story?”

“They aren’t,” he said sharply.

She eyed him a moment longer, regretting the loss of a potential great twist and turned on the device again.

“You said your story didn’t end yet. Do you think you will see Dr. Lecter again?”

Will pursed his lips. A question so casually asked as if it wasn’t all he could ever think about. Would there be a reunion? Was the teacup shattered for good?

“I owe it to him.”

There was a lot he owed him. He thought of Beverly, of Alana, of Abigail, of Jack, of Bella, of Randall Tier, of Georgia Madchen, of all the hurt Hannibal was responsible for. All the tragedies he had written. He had gotten away with.

_I love you, Will._

There was a lot he owed him.

“Do you still believe you can catch the Chesapeake Ripper one day?”

“The Chesapeake Ripper is over. But I _know_ I will catch Hannibal Lecter one day.”

She smiled and even though he knew it was meant encouraging, it felt mocking to him.

“What can you tell me about Bedelia DuMaurier?”

Will closed his eyes and tipped his head back.

“Not much. She was the third person to figure Hannibal out. She came to me and told me she believed me when no one else did. Then she disappeared. And now she’s gone again.”

“The third person after you and Miriam Lass. Do you think Ms. Lass was more involved with Hannibal Lecter than she claims?”

“What, because she shot Dr. Chilton? You should know better by now than to throw empty accusations, Freddie. Hannibal manipulated her, just like he manipulated every one of us. It was a game to him. We were his game pieces.”

“You weren’t. He believed he found a teammate in you.”

“No. He believed he could convert me into a teammate. That I could…evolve under his guidance.”

She glanced at him and crossed her legs.

“Did you?”

“He changed me.”

“To what extent? How much can you tell me about what happened with Randall Tier?”

“Nothing. It’s a classified case.”

“It’s hard not to get the impression the FBI is protecting you. Do you believe killing Tier was necessary in order to catch the Ripper?”

“I believe necessities are at a loss when trying to catch Hannibal Lecter. One has to be prepared for anything, there is no way of predicting him and no way of predicting yourself once he’s in your head.”

“You insist killing Tier was self-defense. What about the display?”

“Is this still about making me look like a criminal, Freddie?”

“Are you a criminal, Mr. Graham?”

Will swallowed and averted his eyes.

“The display had to be my own design. Hannibal had to believe I was…resurrecting. He had to believe I was his to keep.”

“You said that he’s tearing you apart even now. Doesn’t that mean he succeeded?”

“Hannibal Lecter wouldn’t accept anything less than a victory,” he answered with a humorless smile that blended into a grimace.

She nodded and glanced at the clock. Their time was almost over and she still had to write at least two chapters today.

“If you could say something- anything to Dr. Lecter now, what would you say?”

Will stared at her. He hadn’t expected that question. Wasn’t ready for it. Didn’t want to think about it.

“There is nothing left to say.”

_I love you too_

 

 

__

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like a bitter old widow talking about her dead husband.  
> Wait. Nope. Hannigram isn't dead. Don't say that. Stop.


End file.
